LIGHT-ABSORPTION AND ELECTRON-TRANSPORT BALANCE BETWEEN PHOTOSYSTEM II AND PHOTOSYSTEM I IN SPINACH CHLOROPLASTS

Abstract— The distribution of absorbed light and the turnover of electrons by the two photosystems in spinach chloroplasts was investigated. This was implemented upon quantitation of photochemical reaction centers, chlorophyll antenna size and composition of each photosystem (PS), and rate of light absorption in situ. In spinach chloroplasts, the photosystem stoichiometry was PSIIJPSII_α/PSII_β/PSI= 1.3/0.4/1.0. The number (N) of chlorophyll (a+b) molecules associated with each PS was N(PSII_α)/N(PSII_β)/N(PSI)=230/100/200, i.e. about 65% of all Chl is associated with PSII and about 35% with PSI. Light absorption by PSII in vivo is selectively attenuated at the molecular, membrane and leaf levels, (a) The rate of light absorption by PSII was only 0.85 that of PSI because of the lower rate of light absorption by Chl b as compared to Chl a (approximately 80% of all Chl b in the chloroplast is associated with PSII). (b) The exclusive localization of PSII_α in the membrane of the grana partition regions and of PSI in intergrana lamellae resulted in a differential “sieve effect” or “flattening of absorbance” by the photosystems in the two membrane regions. Due to this phenomenon, the rate of light absorption by PSII was lower than that of PSI by 15-20%. (c) Selective filtering of sunlight through the spinach leaf results in a substantial distortion of the effective absorbance spectra and concomitant attenuation of light absorption by the two photosystems. Such attenuation was greater for PSII than for PSI because the latter benefits from light absorption in the 700-730 nm region. It is concluded that, in spite of its stoichiometric excess in spinach chloroplasts, light absorption by PSII is not greater than that by PSI due to the different molecular composition of the two light-harvesting antenna systems, due to the localization of PSII in the grana, and also because of the light transmission properties through the leaf. The elevated PSII/PSI reaction center ratio of 1.7 and the association of 65% of all Chl with PSII help to counter the multilevel attenuation of light absorption by PSII and ensure a balanced PSII/PSI electron turnover ratio of about 1:1.     

Nonlinear viscoelasticity of polystyrene solutions. II. Non-Newtonian viscosity

The steady shear viscosity η(k) and the stress decay function \documentclass{article}\pagestyle{empty}\begin{document}$ \tilde \eta \left({t,k} \right)$\end{document} (the shear stress divided by the rate of shear k after cessation of steady shear flow) were measured for concentrated solutions of polystyrene in diethyl phthalate. Ranges of molecular weight M and concentration c were 7.10 × 10⁵ to 7.62 × 10⁶ and 0.112–0.329 g/cm³, respectively. Measurements were performed with a rheometer of the cone-and-plate type in the range 10^?4 < k < 1 sec^?1. The Cox–Merz relation η(k) = |η^*(ω)|_ω=k was tested with the experimental result (|^*(ω)| is the magnitude of the complex viscosity). It was found to be applicable to solutions of relatively low M or c but not to those of high M and c. For the latter η(k) began to decrease at a lower rate of shear than |η^*(ω)|_ω=k did; the Cox–Merz law underestimated the effect of rate of shear. The stress decay function was assumed to have a functional form \documentclass{article}\pagestyle{empty}\begin{document}$\tilde \eta \left( {t,k} \right) = \sum {\eta _p \left( k \right)e^{ - t/\tau p\left( k \right)} } $\end{document} where τ₁ > τ₂ > …, and the values of τ₁, τ₂ η₁ and η₂ were determined for some solutions. The relaxation times τ₁ and τ₂ were found to be independent of k and equal to the relaxation times of linear viscoelasticity. At the limit of k → 0, η₁ and η₂ were approximately 60 and 20–30%, respectively, of η and the non-Newtonian behavior was due to large decreases of η₁ and η₂ with increasing k. It was shown that η₁(k) may be evaluated from the relaxation strength G₁(s) for the longest relaxation time of the strain-dependent relaxation modulus with a constitutive model for relatively high c–M systems as well as for low c–M systems.     

Synthesis of Phosphorus Containing Polymers by Phase Transfer Catalysis (PTC). II. Experimental Design for Polycondensation in Liquid-Vapor System

Abstract

The simultaneous influence of four factors [reaction time (I), temperature (T), base concentration (c). molar ratio of the reagents (r)] on the yield (q) and on the inherent viscosity (qIv) of the product has been studied for the liquid-vapor system pol ycondensation of cyclohexyldichlorophosphonate (CDP) with bisphenol A (BA) by second order central composite circumscribed design. For a reasonable domain of the parameters [t = 30 ÷ 70 min., T = 20 ÷ 60 °C, c = 1 ÷ 5 mol/l, r = 1 ÷ 3.5 mol(CDP)/mol(BA)], designing the experiments, the η and η_iv values where determined in 31 synthesis (7 center points were used). In order to model the response (hyper)surfaces for η and η_iv, second order equations with interaction terms were used. Analyzing these model equations, T and c appear to be the most important factors, but acting in opposite way. Higher T resulted in greater yield and inherent viscosity. In the above defined domain the hypersurface of η presents a saddle point. From the sequential inspection of the dependence of η and η_iv on the different parameter pairs, using contour plots and 3D-plots [see for example the attached figure for the yield fimction of factors x2 (T) and x3 (c)] optimum conditions can be deduced for the desired good yield and great inherent viscosity. These are: long reaction time (70 min), high temperature (60 °C), low base concentration (1 mol/l) and high to moderate CDP excess.     

Fluorescence polarization anisotropy and kinetics of malachite green measured as a function of solvent viscosity

The fluorescence kinetics and polarization anisotropy of the triphenylmethane dye malachite green were measured as a function of solvent viscosity. The relationshp between the relaxation kinetics and the solvent viscosity was investigated in order to obtain information on the effect of enviromnental changes on the orientational order of dye molecules in solution. It was found that the fluorescence lifetimes follow an η^{$\text{2}\text{3}$} dependence for 1 < η < 60 P, η^{$\text{1}\text{2}$} dependence for 60 P < η < 1000 P and approach a constant for η > 1000 P. The dependence of the fluorescence decay rates on the solvent viscosity was fit to k = 5 × 10¹⁰η^{?$\text{2}\text{3}$} + 5 × 10⁸ s^?1. The fluorescence polarization anisotropy term, R(0), was also measured as a function of solvent viscosity. A marked decrease in R(0) was observed at a viscosity of 1000 P. For η < 1000 P, R(0) was found to be close to the expected value for a random distribution of molecules, 0.4; and for η > 3000 P, R(0) was measured to be ≈0.11. This small value of R(0) may indicate a nonrand The observed change of the polarization anisotropy with increasing viscosity indicates that the dye molecules become ordered at higher viscosities. This may arise through the formation of a long range order due to lack of rotational deexcitation of the malachite green dye molecules at high viscosities.     

KINETIC STUDY OF GAS-PHASE POLYMERIZATION OF PROPENE BY THE INHIBITION METHOD USING CARBON MONOXIDE

The inhibition method using CO to determine the active center concentration C~* in olefin poly-merization and the kinetics of gas-phase polymerization of propene were studied. The reliabilityof the method when used in gas-phase polymerization of propene is proved and the influencing fac-tor of the method is found to be the "repeating inhibition" of CO to the active centers. The C~*, the rate constant k_P and the activation energy were determined from the experimentalresults. We concluded that the C~* decreases with polymerization time and coincides with the decayrate of the polymerization.     

Huggins constant k′ for flexible chain polymers

The Huggins constant k′ in the expression for the viscosity of dilute nonelectrolytic polymer solutions, η = η(1 + [η] c + k′[η]²c² + …), is calculated. For polymers in the theta condition, k′ is estimated to be 0.5 < k_θ′ ≤ 0.7. For good solvent systems, the Peterson-Fixman theory of k′ has been modified; the equilibrium radial distribution function in the original theory is replaced with a parametric distribution for interpenetrating macromolecules in the shear force field. Comparison of the modified theory with experimental k′ for polystyrenes and poly(methyl methacrylates) of different molecular weights in various solvents shows good agreement. An empirical equation which correlates the Huggins constant k′ and the viscosity expansion factor α_η for polymers has been found to coincide well with the modified theory.     

Strain criterion in nonlinear creep and recovery in concentrated polymer solutions

Transient and steady-state rheological data are reported for several anionic polystyrene solutions in tritolylphosphate (1. 6 < cM/ρM_c < 7). Here c is the concentration of the solution, M is the molecular weight, ρ the density of the undiluted polymer, and M_c the molecular weight between entanglements as determined from zero-shear viscosity. The polystyrene used had M_w = 410,000 and M_w/M_n < 1.06. Data are also given for solutions of polyisobutylene and poly(vinyl acetate) with larger M_w/M_n. The results give a critical strain γ′ ∝ c⁻¹ such that linear viscoelastic behavior was obtained in a simple shear deformation with shear less than γ′. A simplified version of the constitutive equation of Bernstein, Kearsley, and Zapas is used with an empirical strain function F (γ) which contains γ′ as a parameter to discuss transient and steady-state behavior in terms of the distribution of relaxation (or retardation) times determined for linear viscoelastic responce. Features of the dependence of the steady-state viscosity η_k, recoverable compliance R_k, the first-normal stress function N_k⁽¹⁾ on shear rate k are discussed in terms of F (γ) and the distribution of relaxation times to conclude that the latter plays a dominant role in the behavior observed in the range of k usually studied. The results predict that the reduced functions η_k/η₀, R_k/R₀, and N_k⁽¹⁾/N₀⁽¹⁾ should depend on η₀R_0k, and that the functional form depends markedly on the distribution of relaxation times, at least in the range η₀R₀k < 10². Comparison with the mechanistic model of Doi and Edwards shows a similar F (γ) but substantial differences in the reduced functions caused by a very narrow distribution of relaxation times in the model.     

Rheological properties of rodlike polymers in solution. 2. Linear and nonlinear transient behavior

Rheological and rheo-optical studies are reported for isotropic solutions of the mesogenic rodlike polymer poly(1,4-phenylene-2,6-benzobisthiazole) (PBT). Several PBT samples were used with average contour lengths from 95 to 135 nm. Concentrations were varied over a range just below the concentration C_c for the formation of an ordered (nematic) state. The predictions of a single-integral constitutive equation of the BKZ type utilizing experimental estimates of the distribution of discrete relaxation times is compared with experimental data on the steady-state viscosity η_κ, the recoverable compliance function R_κ, and the steady-state flow birefringence as functions of the shear rate κ, with satisfactory results. The relaxation of the shear stress and the flow birefringence on cessation of steady-state flow at shear rate κ are also compared with the single-integral constitutive equation, and it is found that in the nonlinear response range the data can be superposed over a wide range in κ. The overall behavior is qualitatively similar to that for flexible chains, which can also be fitted by the single-integral constitutive equations over similar ranges of η₀R₀κ, with η₀ and R₀ the limiting values of η_k and R_κ for small κ. Of course, the dependence of η₀ and R₀ on concentration and molecular weight differs markedly for rodlike and flexible-chain polymers.     

Generalized correlations for molecular weight and concentration dependence of zero-shear viscosity of high polymer solutions

Data are presented to show that two correlations of viscosity–concentration data are useful representations for data over wide ranges of molecular weight and up to at least moderately high concentrations for both good and fair solvents. Low molecular weight polymer solutions (below the critical entanglement molecular weight M_c) generally have higher viscosities than predicted by the correlations. One correlation is η_sp/c[η] versus k′[η], where η_sp is specific viscosity, c is polymer concentration, [η] is intrinsic viscosity, and k′ is the Huggins constant. A standard curve for good solvent systems has been defined up to k′[η]c ≈? 3. It can also be used for fair solvents up to k′[η]c ≈? 1.25· low estimates are obtained at higher values. A simpler and more useful correlation is η_R versus c[η], where η_R is relative viscosity. Fair solvent viscosities can be predicted from the good solvent curve up to c[η] ≈? 3, above which estimates are low. Poor solvent data can also be correlated as η_R versus c[η] for molecular weights below 1 to 2 × 10⁵.     

Rate equation of gelation of chromium(III)-polyacrylamide sol

During gelation, the time dependence of the apparent viscosity has been used to analyze the kinetics of the gelation of polyacrylamide (PA) sol with chromium (III) ions. The investigations have stablished the following facts: Before gelation the relation between the viscosity, η, of Cr(III)-PA sol and the PA concentration is η = f([PA]) = 2.36×10¹⁵ [PA]^3.15 and the rate equation of gelation in the steady-state stage during gelation is expressed as V_n = k_s f([PA]) [PA]² [Cr(III)]².     

Determination of Chain Transfer Constant for Solvent When the Viscosity of the Polymerizing System Is Considered Important

Abstract

The chain transfer constant of the polymethyl methacrylate radical for N,N-dimethylaniline was determined in two solvents, benzene and dimethyl phthalate. Plots were made using1/P_n=k_t°R_p/k_p ²[M]²η + C_S1 [S₁]/[M] + C_S2 [S₂]/[M] +C_M where η=viscosity of monomer-solvents mixture, k_t°=rate coefficient of termination when η=1 cP, S₁=benzene or dimethyl phthalate, S₂=N,N-dimethylaniline, and other symbols have their usual meanings. The plots agreed well for the two solvents. If the plots were made without considering the viscosity term, two separate lines resulted for the two solvents. Thus it is essential to consider the viscosity of the polymerizing system in the analysis of chain transfer reactions when the termination reaction is diffusion-controlled and the viscosities of the monomer and solvent differ markedly.     

Theoretical Investigation and Design of Highly Efficient Blue Phosphorescent Iridium(III) Complexes Bearing Fluorinated Aromatic Sulfonyl Groups

Aromatic sulfonyl groups have attracted increasing interest due to their unique electronic features. In this article, a series of Ir^III complexes bearing fluorinated phenylsulfonyl groups were evaluated by density functional theory and time‐dependent density functional theory methods. To explore their phosphorescence efficiencies, factors that determine the radiative decay rate constant, k_r, and the nonradiative decay rate constant, k_nr, were computed. As demonstrated by the results, complex 4 , which has fluorinated phenylsulfonyl groups at the 5‐positions of the phenyl rings for all three C^N ligands, was found to have the highest phosphorescence efficiencies with the largest k_r and smallest k_nr values among these complexes. Moreover, it was found to exhibit significantly blueshifted behavior relative to complex 1 and emits in the blue region, and thus, it can serve as a highly efficient blue emitter for application in organic light‐emitting diodes. These findings successfully illustrated the structure–properties relationship and provided valuable information for the development of future highly efficient blue‐emitting phosphors.     

TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE OF PICOSECOND FLUORESCENCE KINETICS OF A CYANOBACTERIAL PHOTOSYSTEM I PARTICLE*

Picosecond time-resolved fluorescence of photosystem I particles isolated from Synechococcus sp. was recorded in the wavelength range from 680 nm to 736 nm for temperatures of 6°C to 42°C and - 100°C using the single-photon-timing technique. By global analysis of the data we found four contributing lifetime components at the higher temperatures (T₁ ' 12 ps, T₁= 35 ps, T₃ ' 65 ps, T₄ ' 1000 ps). We attribute T₁ to an energy transfer between two pigment pools, T₂ to the charge separation process in the reaction center, component T₃ is assigned to aggregate and T₄ to uncoupled chlorophyll emission. The corresponding decay-associated spectra are presented. We also applied a target analysis procedure to fit parameters of a kinetic model directly to the data. The resulting rate constants and species-associated spectra are discussed. The data indicate substantial spectral heterogeneity in the antenna with at least three substantially different chlorophyll pools. The overall exciton decay kinetics (by charge separation) is trap-limited.     

Radiation chemical studies of protein reactions: Effect of radiation on the breaking of secondary bonding in protein

The effect of radiation on the breaking of secondary bonding in protein was studied by measuring the viscosity change at different radiation doses and urea concentrations. An experimental equation for the viscosity change was obtained, and the observed behavior was explained on the basis of the molecular mechanism. The general equation for the viscosity change is given by η_red = A(X ? Be^?kx) + C log R, where η_red is the reduced viscosity of the solution, R is the dose of γ-radiation, X is the concentration of urea, and A, B, C, and k are adjustable constants.     

SPECTROSCOPY OF CHLOROPHYLL IN BIOLOGICAL AND SYNTHETIC SYSTEMS*

Abstract. –This review discusses recent spectroscopic studies aimed at discovering the structure, orientation, and function of chlorophyll in vivo. In plant membranes there appear to be at least two distinct types of chlorophyll a. The greater part, over 99%, is antenna chlorophyll which absorbs and transfers radiant energy to a few specialized chlorophyll molecules in a reaction center where the actual charge separation occurs. A dimer-oligomer model for antenna chlorophyll has been proposed on the basis of comparative studies of the absorption spectra of chlorophyll in various dry solvents and in vivo. Unfortunately a similarity between essentially structureless broad spectra is very weak evidence for their original identity. Also the requirement of an anhydrous environment for most of the chlorophyll in biological material is an unlikely postulate. A cross-linked, linear polymer model of chlorophyll in vivo has also been proposed. Recent Resonance Raman spectroscopic results appear to rule out, in large part, either polymer model and once again suggest that it is the various attachments of chlorophyll to proteins which determine its function as antenna pigment in vivo. Circular dichroism measurements of chlorophyll in various plant materials have also led to the conclusion that antenna chlorophyll has strong interaction with protein. However, some doubt still exists as to the interpretation of these CD results. New studies of fluorescence, polarized fluorescence and Resonance Raman spectroscopy of various plant species corroborate the original proposition, based upon deconvolution of absorption spectra, that antenna chlorophyll occurs in vivo in at least five discrete pools, and that each pool is likely to be located in the same environment in different plants. A new model-systems approach to simulating chlorophyll in vivo has come through the use of lipid bilayers and liposomes. Charge transfer has been observed between chlorophyll in a lipid phase and phycobiliproteins or cytochrome c. The most promising, newly synthesized model for the reaction center, P700, is a covalently bound dimeric derivative of pyrochlorophyllide a. Its properties are similar to P700 in several respects except for reversible photooxidation which has not yet been observed. By detergent treatments chlorophyll-protein complexes having about 20–40 chlorophyll a molecules for every P700 have been isolated from different plants, and their spectroscopic properties are under investigation in several laboratories. The several hypotheses to explain the shape of the oxidized minus reduced absorption difference spectrum of P700 have not yet been reconciled. The nature of the photosystem II reaction center chlorophyll, P680, is also a subject of active investigation. Its absorption difference spectrum appears to have two kinetic components.     

Viscosity dependence of internal conversion rates of polyatomic molecules

A microscopic theory of the dependence of internal conversion rates (R) on viscosity (η) is developed by extending usual theories of vibronic energy relaxation. The viscosity dependence of R is assumed to arise from the viscosity dependence of the damping rates γ of soft (torsional) modes of intramolecular vibration (frequencies ω). From the theory developed R is found to increase with η when γ « ω. When γ ? ω the rate R is found to decrease with η. In this case the dependence of R on η can often be approximated in a wide range of η according to R ∝ η^?α. The value of α depends on certain microscopic parameters, and 0 ? α ? 1 and α ? 1 might be found. In particular, the Oster-Nishijima result (α = 1) is included as a limiting case. A comparison between theory and experiment is given, which shows the theoretical results to be in full agreement with the experimental ones.     

INTERMEDIATES IN THE PHOTOCONVERSION OF FUNCTIONAL PHYTOCHROME IN FERN SPORES OF Dryopteris–II. In vivo KINETICS OF THE DECAY OF Ii700 AND OF THE FORMATION OF Pfr STUDIED WITH A DOUBLE-LASER APPARATUS*

Abstract— Photoconversion of the red-light-absorbing form of phytochrome, P_r, to the far-red-light-absorbing form, P_fr, was investigated in vivo at 22°C with 600 or 800 ns laser pulses of high spectral purity and induction of spore germination in Dryopteris paleacea was used as indicator for the progress of photoconversion. This reaction is initiated by a saturating R-laser pulse of 648.5 nm, establishing an equilibrium of the photochromic system between P_r and the very early intermediates, Iⁱ₇₀₀ (P_rφ Iⁱ₇₀₀)- The decay of Iⁱ₇₀₀ as well as the formation of P_fr was recorded by the application of a second pulse varied between 698 and 717.5 nm, which inhibits the formation of P_lr being absorbed predominantly by Iⁱ₇₀₀or P_fr, respectively. The most effective inhibition for the second pulse is found up to 10 u.s after the first pulse and this is interpreted by photoreversion of Iⁱ₇₀₀ to P_r; thus reducing the formation of P_fr from Iⁱ₇₀₀. This early inhibition decreases between 10 μs to 100 ms after the R-laser pulse, as a result of the decay of Iⁱ_bl to a bleached species I,;. This decay can be described by three first order kinetics with the rate constants k₁₂= 16830 ± 2970 s^-1, k₁₂= 666 ± 218 s^-1,k₁₃= 9.8 ± 0.9 s^-1. A second inhibition, due to the formation of P_fr, is found for dark intervals <100 ms and can be described by two first order kinetics with the rate constants k₂₁= 2.9 ± 0.6 s^-1 and k₂₂= 0.17 s^-l.     

The AMO method at small internuclear distances

The AMO function of the hydrogen molecule ψ = ψ_c + η ψ_i, where ψ_c is the covalent part and ψ_i the ionic part, is investigated for small internuclear distances R. We found η → ?1 as R →,?1 as R → 0, contrary to the intuitively expected limit η → 1. However, near R = 0 an analytical expression of ψ is derived, showing that ψ reduces to the helium ground state as R → 0. We have proved that the empirical concept ?covalent and ionic character”? should be replaced by the symmetry argument in the case of small R.     

Catalytic hydrolysis of α-amino esters in the presence of chiral palladacycles

The rate of hydrolysis of esters derived from optically active α-amino acids, catalyzed by chiral cyclopalladated benzylamines, depends on the configuration of chiral centers in the substrate and catalyst. The catalytic hydrolysis of sulfur-containing amino esters follows an intramolecular mechanism, and the difference in the reaction rates for the stereoisomers increases in going from ortho-palladated primary benzylamines (k _S/k _R = 1.1) to tertiary amines (k _S/k _R = 1.5); the strongest catalytic effect is observed for an ester and a complex with the same absolute configuration of the chiral centers. The efficiency of intermolecular catalysis is greater for a complex and ester with opposite absolute configurations of the chiral centers, and the rate constants of catalytic hydrolysis for two pairs of stereoisomers coincide within experimental error. The maximal difference in the reaction rates is observed for cyclopalladated secondary benzylamines; it reaches 2.3 for the phenylalanine ester.     

On the computation of matrix elements between numerical wave functions: The canonical functions method

The problem of the computation of the matrix elements is considered when Ψ_v(r) and Ψ_v(r) are eigenfunctions related to a diatomic potential of the RKR type (defined by the coordinates of its turning points P_i with polynomial interpolations). The eigenfunction Ψ(r) is computed by the canonical functions method making use of the abscissas r_i of P_i uniquely. This limited number of points allows the storage of ψ_v(r_i) for all the required levels v, and reduces greatly the computational effort when v, ν′, and k are varying. The present method maintains all the advantages of a highly accurate numerical method (even for levels near the dissociation), and reduces greatly the computing time. Furthermore, it is shown that it may be extended to analytical potentials like Morse and Lennard-Jones functions, to vibrational-rotational eigenfunctions and to matrix elements between eigenfunctions related to two different potentials. Numerical applications are presented and discussed.