Circular dichroism and electronic spectra of 2,2′-dimethyl-1,1′-binaphthyl anion radical

The circular dichroism and electronic spectra of the 2,2′-dimethyl-1,1′-binaphthyl anion radical have been studied. The assignments of the complicated absorption bands of the species were made with the aid of the signs in the circular dichroism spectrum and the dihedral angle of the anion radical was set in the range 100°–110°.     

CHANGES IN TERTIARY STRUCTURE OF CALF-LENS α-CRYSTALLIN BY NEAR-UV IRRADIATION: ROLE OF HYDROGEN PEROXIDE

The effect of 300 nm irradiation on the three lens crystallins, α-, β-, and γ-, was studied by using fluorescence and circular dichroism techniques. α-Crystallin showed a pronounced change in tertiary structure as manifested in fluorescence and circular dichroism measurements. This finding is in agreement with our earlier findings that the tryptophan residues of α-crystallin are more exposed than those of the other two crystallins. The results of studies using inhibitors specific for the different active species of oxygen suggest that H₂O₂-mediated damage is involved in the change of tertiary structure of the proteins. Analyses of circular dichroism spectra indicate that, upon irradiation, the secondary structure of α-crystallin remains virtually unaltered, and that the change in tertiary structure results primarily from photoinduced damage to the tryptophan residues.     

The dynamics of dilute colloidal suspensions subject to time-dependent flow fields by conservative dichroism

An apparatus is described which permits simultaneous determination of the conservative linear dichroism and the average orientation angle of a dilute suspension of optically anisotropic, nonabsorbing spheroids subjected to a transient shear field. The magnitude of the dichroism reflects the degree of alignment of the particles along their average orientation angle and measurement of this property in time directly obtains the rotational motion of the particles. This experiment makes use of a photoelastic modulator in a novel optical train; the first and second harmonics of the detector signal, which are independent functions of the dichroism and orientation angle, are measured simultaneously as functions of time. Preliminary data on a dilute suspension of bentonite in 90% glycerine and 10% water subjected to an instantaneous simple shear are presented to illustrate the technique. The qualitative features of these data are adequately described by the Rayleigh scattering theory coupled with Jeffery's solution for the dynamics of a rigid spheroid in a creeping simple shear.     

Chain-backbone motion in glassy polycarbonate studied by polarized infrared spectroscopy

Chain-backbone motion in glassy polycarbonate has been investigated both under isothermal stress, and also under zero stress during isothermal annealing of freely contracting film specimens. In both types of experiment, backbone motion was detected by measuring the change in infrared dichroism. The dichroism of absorption bands at 1364 and 2971 cm^?1, which have transition moment vectors directly related to the chain-backbone orientation, was studied. Under tensile stress in the homogeneous region of deformation, changes of up to 2.2° in the mean chain-backbone orientation angle were measured at 23°C. With the onset of cold drawing a total orientation change of some 8° was observed. For the isothermal annealing experiments, a film specimen holder employing conductive heating with radiative losses was employed. It enables infrared measurements to be made while the temperature of the contracting specimen is maintained constant to ± 0.5°C. Oriented specimens were prepared by isothermal stretching of polycarbonate films to strains of the order of 100%. Changes in the mean chain-backbone orientation angle were observed during annealing of these oriented films at temperatures between 80°C and the glass transition (149°C). Chain motion proceeded during annealing, and chain segments were observed to move cooperatively. The temperature at which the polymer is prestretched has a pronounced effect on its subsequent relaxation during annealing: when the sample was stretched at 23°C. motions were detected during annealing at temperatures as low as 81°C, while, if it was stretched at 154°C, no motion was detected at annealing temperatures below 127°C. The data are discussed in comparison with theories of the glassy state that predict the absence of chain-backbone motion at temperatures significantly below the glass transition. A shift in frequency of the ν_a (CH₃) absorption peak in stretched polycarbonate was measured by using polarized radiation. The effect was interpreted in terms of changes in the intermolecular bonding structure of the oriented polymer.     

Determination of the stereochemistry of isomeric steroidal 3-spiro-isoxazolidine-[2,3-d]-oxadiazoline by circular dichroism and x-ray diffraction

The absolute configuration of four isomeric steroidal molecules containing the isoxazolidine-[2,3-d]-oxadiazoline moiety has been determined by circular dichroism and X-ray diffraction methods. This heterocyclic system adopts a cis fused structure in which the mean planes passing through the two rings form a dihedral angle of 111°.     

Rheooptical Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy of the deformation behavior in quenched and slow‐cooled isotactic polypropylene films

Emerging technological applications for complex polymers require insight into the dynamics of these materials from a molecular and nanostructural viewpoint. To characterize the orientational response at these length scales, we developed a versatile rheooptical Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometer by combining rheometry, polarimetry, and FTIR spectroscopy. This instrument is capable of measuring linear infrared dichroism spectra during both small‐strain dynamic deformation and large‐strain irreversible deformation over a wide temperature range. The deformation response of quenched and slow‐cooled isotactic polypropylene (iPP) is investigated. In quenched iPP, under dynamic oscillatory strain at an amplitude of ～0.1%, the dichroism from the orientation of the amorphous chains is appreciably less than that from the crystalline region. At large irreversible strains, we measured the dichroic response for 12 different peaks simultaneously and quantitatively. The dichroism from the crystalline peaks is strong as compared to amorphous peaks. In the quenched sample, the dichroism from the crystalline region saturates at 50% strain, followed by a significant increase in the amorphous region dichroism. This is consistent with the notion that the crystalline regions respond strongly before the yield point, whereas the majority of postyielding orientation occurs in the amorphous region. Our results also suggest that the 841 cm^?1 peak may be especially sensitive to the ‘smectic’ region orientation in the quenched sample. The response of the slow‐cooled sample at 70 °C is qualitatively similar but characterized by a stronger crystalline region dichroism and a weaker amorphous region dichroism, consistent with the higher crystallinity of this sample, and faster chain relaxation at 70 °C. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 40: 2539–2551, 2002     

Liquid‐crystalline thermosets from mesogenic dimeric epoxy resins by tertiary amine catalysis

Liquid‐crystalline thermosets (LCTs) were prepared by the curing of difunctional liquid‐crystalline dimeric epoxy monomers with imine moieties in the mesogenic core and central spacers of different lengths. Tertiary amines were used as catalysts in different proportions. The locked mesophases of the LCTs were characterized by polarized optical microscopy and wide‐angle X‐ray scattering and identified as smectic‐C, regardless of their smectic‐A or smectic‐C initial state. The influence of a 7.1‐T magnetic field on the macroscopic orientation of these materials was studied by dynamic mechanical analysis, and the orientation parameter was determined by IR dichroism. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 3916–3926, 2002     

MONITORING LIGHT-INDUCED CHANGES IN ISOLATED, INTACT EYE LENSES

Fluorescence spectral changes occurring upon irradiation with 300 nm light have been monitored in situ in isolated, intact, whole lenses from the eyes of several species. The findings corroborate observations on other individual constituent protein molecules in the solution state, and also reveal features attributable to the supramolecular protein assembly that exists in the whole lens. Irradiation of the lens with 300 nm light causes red shifts in the tryptophan emission spectrum, suggesting alterations in the protein packing in the lens. Intermolecular energy transfer from tryptophan to one of the photoproducts, presumably N-formylkynurenine (N-FK), occurs in the condensed-phase sample. The N-FK formed is photodegraded efficiently in the lens, indicating that the photodynamic effects of endogenous N-FK might not be as severe as has been thought. Species variation in the photoevents are evident, particularly in avian lenses that contain the variant δ-crystallin as the core protein. The photoinduced changes in the near-UV circular dichroism of δ-crystallin (which is α-helical, as opposed to the β-sheet structure of α-, β-, and -γ-crystallins), isolated from chicken lenses, are remarkably different from other crystallins. Irradiation of δ-crystallin leads to a drastic reduction of circular dichroism intensity in the 250–300 nm region, whereas no changes are seen in the peptide absorption band.     

Microcalorimetric study of the biodegradation of cellulolytic compounds

Microcalorimetry can be used as a tool for the analysis of microbial growth on soluble or insoluble substrates. Modern apparatus allows studies under aerobic or anaerobic growth culture conditions. The heat quantity evolved during any microbial growth is dependent on catabolic and anabolic reactions according to:△H _met=(1-α)△H _cat+α△H _an In this relationship, δH_met, δH_cat, and δH_an are the enthalpy variations associated with metabolic, catabolic, and anabolic reactions, respectively, and a represents the molar fraction of the energy source that is incorporated into cellular carbon. The value of α is strongly influenced by culture conditions. Under anaerobic conditions, the α coefficient is low and does not exceed 0.2. Under aerobic conditions, α can reach a value as high as 0.6. Some experimental results were presented and discussed. Modern microcalorimeters record the power evolved by microbial growth as a function of time. The curves obtained are called power-time curves. These curves can be used for the determination of growth parameters. However, power-time curves allow visualization of some catabolic phenomena that are not related to growth because they occur during the stationary growth phase. Some examples were shown. More recently, microcalorimetry has been used for studies of degradation of insoluble substrates, such as lignocellulosic compounds, by pure or mixed cultures of microbes. The results obtained with pure cultures of bacteria growing on cellulose were interpreted using the same relationships that have been used for studies on soluble sugars. It was possible to show the influence of the structure of the cellulose on the kinetics of its degradation. The results obtained with mixed cultures were difficult to interprete at the present time. The power-time curves are very complex, showing many heat peaks that cannot be related to any known physiological phenomena. However, the total heat evolved during lignocellulosic fermentation by mixed cultures is proportional to the quantity of sugar fermented; this was demonstrated and discussed. Thus it can be concluded that microcalorimetry can be used for the estimation of the biodegradability of any solid substrate. This technique can also be used for evaluation of the efficiency of the pretreatments of lignocellulosic compounds that are done to increase the biodegradability of these substrates. Recent data will be shown.     

The circular dichroism,crystal and molecular structure,and absolute configuration,of dinaphtho[2,1-c,1',2'-e]dithiin

The structure of the title compound has been determined by single-crystal X-ray analysis and refined by least-squares methods based on diffractometer data (1388 counter intensities, R 0.035). The crystals are monoclinic, space group P2₁, with Z=2. a = 13.360(2), b =5.755(1), c = 10.318(1) Å and β = 108.32(1)°. The atoms of each naphthalene nucleus in the molecule are coplanar to within the rms value of 0.087 Å, and the intramolecular dihedral angle between the mean planes of those nuclei is 56°. Both the Bijvoet X-ray method and an analysis of the circular dichroism spectrum indicate that the (+)?isomer has the (S)-configuration, providing a reference for the correlation of configuration in the series of chiral 1,1'-binaphthyl-2.2'-sulphur-substituted derivatives.     

ACTION SPECTRA OF PHOTOGEOTROPIC EQUILIBRIUM IN Phycomyces WILD TYPE AND THREE BEHAVIORAL MUTANTS

Photogeotropic equilibrium action spectra in the range from 301 to 740 nm were made for Phycomyces wild type and the three behavioral mutants C47 ( madA35 ), C109 ( madBlOl ) and LI (madCIIQ) , all of which have a raised phototropic threshold. In addition to two broad peaks at 365 and 455 nm, typical for flavins, the wild type action spectrum shows three novel peaks, which have not been observed previously. These peaks are located at 414, 491 and 650 nm. The 650 nm peak has a relative quantum efficiency of 3 × 10⁻⁸ compared to the peak at 414 nm. The wavelength dependent shapes of the fluence-response curves of the bending angle and the aiming error angle indicate more than one receptor pigment for phototropism. The shape of the action spectrum of C47 is basically unaltered in comparison to wild type. C109 and LI show substantial differences from the wild type. In the near UV two small peaks at 334 and 365 nm appear; the 414 and 491 nm peaks present in wild type and C47 are missing and two new peaks at 529 nm (not well resolved in C109) and 567 nm are found. None of the three mad mutations affects the 650 nm peak. A model of the sensory transduction chain is presented, which incorporates these and other known features.     

Rotational diffusion effects on absorbance measurements: limitations to the magic-angle approach.

Optical absorbance changes are commonly used to characterize intermediates which appear in the bleaching sequence of rhodopsin and in the photocycle of bacteriorhodopsin. Absorbance changes can be caused by an intermediate's rotational diffusion, and when this occurs it can distort absorbance changes due to the structural evolution of intermediates. Linear polarization of an optical probe source at 54.7 degrees (the magic angle) relative to the polarization direction of a linearly polarized actinic source has often been used to eliminate signals due to rotational diffusion. We used Jones calculus to investigate the validity of the magic-angle strategy. Taylor expansion of the result in powers of the absorbances of the bleached ground state and of the intermediates leads to a relatively simple expression which can be used to determine whether rotational contributions are likely under various experimental conditions. This expression shows that in first order no dichroism-dependent term appears in the absorbance measured at magic angle. In second order, however, linear dichroism contributes to signals. For the sequence of rhodopsin intermediates: rhodopsin hv----bathorhodopsin in equilibrium BSI----lumirhodopsin, where BSI is a recently discovered blue-shifted intermediate, we determined the magnitude of the dichroism signals to be, on average, less than 2% of the true absorbance change due to the intermediates themselves (and hence undetectable). Freedom from dichroism artifacts in this case results from the fact that the transition dipoles of these intermediates are similar to that of rhodopsin. Larger and certainly detectable dichroism signals are predicted to occur, even at the magic angle, for later intermediates which have transition dipole moments which differ significantly from that of rhodopsin.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

First heats of solution δH0 of salts in nonaqueous and mixed solvents

A theoretical method is considered for determining H₀ for dissolution of salts in nonaqueous and mixed solvents at various temperatures using published and experimental data for H_m, Values of H₀ were calculated for the dissolution of salts in a number of nonaqueous and mixed solvents at various temperatures. The results obtained were compared with the published data.With an isothermal microcalorimeter, H_m values were determined for the dissolution of potassium nitrate at 25 C in water-glycerol mixtures of various compositions. The results are explained in relation to the structural characteristics of the solvent.     

Photosensory Functions of Channelrhodopsins in Native Algal Cells†

Photomotility responses in flagellate alga are mediated by two types of sensory rhodopsins (A and B). Upon photoexcitation they trigger a cascade of transmembrane currents which provide sensory transduction of light stimuli. Both types of algal sensory rhodopsins demonstrate light‐gated ion channel activities when heterologously expressed in animal cells, and therefore they have been given the alternative names channelrhodopsin 1 and 2. In recent publications their channel activity has been assumed to initiate the transduction chain in the native algal cells. Here we present data showing that: (1) the modes of action of both types of sensory rhodopsins are different in native cells such as Chlamydomonas reinhardtii than in heterologous expression systems, and also differ between the two types of rhodopsins; (2) the primary function of Type B sensory rhodopsin (channelrhodopsin‐2) is biochemical activation of secondary Ca²⁺‐channels with evidence for amplification and a diffusible messenger, sufficient for mediating phototaxis and photophobic responses; (3) Type A sensory rhodopsin (channelrhodopsin‐1) mediates avoidance responses by direct channel activity under high light intensities and exhibits low‐efficiency amplification. These dual functions of algal sensory rhodopsins enable the highly sophisticated photobehavior of algal cells.     

The binding of single-stranded DNA and PNA to single-walled carbon nanotubes probed by flow linear dichroism

The binding of single-stranded DNAs and a neutral DNA analogue (peptide nucleic acid, PNA) to single-walled carbon nanotubes in solution phase has been probed by absorbance spectroscopy and linear dichroism. The nanotubes are solubilised by aqueous sodium dodecyl sulfate, in which the nucleic acids also dissolve. The linear dichroism (LD) of the nanotubes, when subtracted from that due to the nanotubes/nucleic acid samples, gives the LD of the bound nucleic acid. The binding of the single-stranded DNA to the single-walled nanotubes is quite different from that previously observed for double-stranded DNA. It is likely that the nucleic acid bases lie flat on the nanotube surface with the backbone wrapping round the nanotube at an oblique angle in the region of 45 degrees . The net effect is like beads on a string. The base orientation with the single-stranded PNA is inverted with respect to that of the single-stranded DNA, as shown by their oppositely signed LD signals.     

CROSS-LINKING OF MEMBRANE PROTEINS AND PROTOPORPHYRIN-SENSITIZED PHOTOHEMOLYSIS*

Abstract— Irradiation of protoporphyrin-sensitized red cells with blue light in the presence of oxygen alters many components of their membranes and eventually leads to hemolysis. Extensive cross-linking of membrane proteins can be observed before hemolysis occurs (Girotti, 1976).
Facile oxidative hemolysis can be achieved without observable cross-linking of membrane proteins upon incubation (37°C) of red cells containing membrane-bound 3ß-hydroxy-5α-hydroperoxy-△⁶-cholcstene. Thus, protein cross-linking is not obligatory for oxidative lysis. Deoxygenation by Ar bubbling strongly retards the light-induced increase in osmotic fragility and strongly inhibits eventual hemolysis of protoporphyrin-sensitized erythrocytes. However, similar reduction in oxygen concentration only partially inhibits cross-linking of membrane proteins. These results suggest that membrane protein cross-linking and photohemolysis are not coupled processes.     

Quantification of Ocular Biologically Effective UV Exposure for Different Rotation Angle Ranges Based on Data from a Manikin

Human outdoor activities are randomly orientated at different angles to the sun. To quantify the ocular UV and biologically effective UV (UVBE; i.e. the ocular UV irradiance exposure for photokeratitis (UVpker), photoconjunctivitis (UVpcon), and cataract (UVcat)) exposure for different rotation angle ranges, a rotating manikin was used to monitor the ocular UV exposure at different rotation angles in clear skies during July 2010 in Sanya, China. As a result, the ocular UV and UVBE irradiance was directly influenced by the rotation angle variations, primarily for the 120° rotation angle ranges facing the morning and afternoon sun when the solar elevation was lower than 60°; during these times, the UV and UVBE spectral irradiance decreased as the rotation angle increased. When compared to the 360° rotation angle ranges (which were considered to be the average exposure situation), the cumulative ocular UVBE for 60°, 120° and 180° rotation angle ranges were maximally 91% (UVcat), 94% (UVpker) and 121% (UVpcon); 71% (UVcat), 74% (UVpker) and 95% (UVpcon); 42%(UVcat), 45%(UVpker) and 55% (UVpcon) higher respectively. Meanwhile, the cumulative ocular UVBE for the 180° rotation angle ranges facing away from the sun were 46% (UVpker), 59% (UVpcon) and 45% (UVcat) lower.     

AES depth profiling with a tilted sample in front of a cylindrical mirror analyzer: quantification and profile shape changes according to an extension of the conventional MRI model

The influence of the tilt angle of a sample in front of a cylindrical mirror analyzer (CMA) on AES depth profiles is calculated with the conventional mixing‐roughness‐information (MRI) depth model and an extended MRI model. While the conventional model works with an average electron escape depth value, the extended model takes into account the intensity from different segments along the azimuth angle corresponding to different escape depth values before summing up for the total, measured intensity. The deviation between both approaches is generally less than 4%, even for the worst case at 47.7° tilt angle. The shape of the profile is slightly different for both approaches. Because, for a CMA with coaxial gun, the sample tilt angle varies as the electron beam incidence angle, the influence of the latter has to be additionally taken into account for quantification of AES. In reasonable agreement with experimental results it is shown that above 45° the Auger peak intensity of Cu (914 eV) increases up to about a factor of two for an incidence angle of 85°. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Synthesis of imidazole and imidazolium porphyrins

A new porphyrin compound, where an imidazole group was attached through the 1‐position nitrogen to a phenyl ring located on the porphyrin periphery has been synthesized and characterized. The second nitrogen on the imidazole is available for further chemistry as demonstrated by the attachment of bromopentane forming the imidazolium porphyrin complex. This is the first example of an imidazolium group covalently attached to the porphyrin periphery in which the porphyrin is attached through the nitrogen on the imidazole ring rather than a carbon atom.     

Rubbing angle effect on in‐plane switching liquid crystal displays

The rubbing angle effect on transmissive in‐plane switching liquid crystal displays is analysed by the Jones matrix method. Simulation results show that the optimum rubbing angle is around 30°–40°; the cell gap/birefringence product (dΔn) is about 0.33 µm. Increasing the rubbing angle can shorten the rise time and enlarge the grey scale voltage intervals. The optical characteristics are similar in two cells with different rubbing angles. These effects are particularly attractive for liquid crystal TV applications.