Molecular dynamics and information on possible sites of interaction of intramyocellular metabolites in vivo from resolved dipolar couplings in localized H NMR spectra

Proton NMR resonances of the endogenous metabolites creatine and phosphocreatine ((P)Cr), taurine (Tau), and carnosine (Cs, β-alanyl-l-histidine) were studied with regard to residual dipolar couplings and molecular mobility. We present an analysis of the direct ¹H–¹H interaction that provides information on motional reorientation of subgroups in these molecules in vivo. For this purpose, localized ¹H NMR experiments were performed on m. gastrocnemius of healthy volunteers using a 1.5-T clinical whole-body MR scanner. We evaluated the observable dipolar coupling strength SD₀ (S = order parameter) of the (P)Cr-methyl triplet and the Tau-methylene doublet by means of the apparent line splitting. These were compared to the dipolar coupling strength of the (P)Cr-methylene doublet. In contrast to the aliphatic protons of (P)Cr and Tau, the aromatic H2 (δ = 8 ppm) and H4 (δ = 7 ppm) protons of the imidazole ring of Cs exhibit second-order spectra at 1.5 T. This effect is the consequence of incomplete transition from Zeeman to Paschen-Back regime and allows a determination of SD₀ from H2 and H4 of Cs as an alternative to evaluating the multiplet splitting which can be measured directly in high-resolution ¹H NMR spectra. Experimental data showed striking differences in the mobility of the metabolites when the dipolar coupling constant D₀ (calculated with the internuclear distance known from molecular geometry in the case of complete absence of molecular dynamics and motion) is used for comparison. The aliphatic signals involve very small order parameters S ≈ (1.4 − 3) × 10⁻⁴ indicating rapid reorientation of the corresponding subgroups in these metabolites. In contrast, analysis of the Cs resonances yielded S ≈ (113 − 137) × 10⁻⁴. Thus, the immobilization of the Cs imidazole ring owing to an anisotropic cellular substructure in human m. gastrocnemius is much more effective than for (P)Cr and Tau subgroups. Furthermore, ¹H NMR experiments on aqueous model solutions of histidine and N-acetyl-l-aspartate (NAA) enabled the assignment of an additional signal component at δ = 8 ppm of Cs in vivo to the amide group at the peptide bond. The visibility of this proton could result from hydrogen bonding which would agree with the anticipated stronger motional restriction of Cs. Referring to the observation that all dipolar-coupled multiplets resolved in localized in vivo ¹H NMR spectra of human m. gastrocnemius collapse simultaneously when the fibre structure is tilted towards the magic angle (θ ≈ 55°), a common model for molecular confinement in muscle tissue is proposed on the basis of an interaction of the studied metabolites with myocellular membrane phospholipids.     

A highly selective solid phase extraction sorbent for pre-concentration of sameridine made by molecular imprinting

Summary A novel approach to solid phase extraction, based on the use of a highly selective molecularly imprinted polymer, is presented. The versatility of this type of sorbent for solid phase extraction was demonstrated in a model batch-wise pre-concentration of sameridine prior to gas chromatography. Problems associated with leakage of remaining imprint molecules during the desorption phase could be eliminated by the use of a close structural analogue of sameridine as the imprint species. It was found that a major benefit of the imprinted polymer was its specificity, which lead to distinctly cleaner chromatographic traces and ability to improve sensitivity by extracting sameridine from larger sample volumes.     

On the treatment of the pairing interaction in the particle-rotor model

Different ways of treating the pairing interaction in the particle-rotor model are discussed and compared in a model which can be solved exactly. Special attention is paid to the interaction between the yrast and yrare bands as function of the shell filling.     

Manifestation of biquadratic coupling in the smectic C* phase soft mode dielectric response

The soft mode dielectric response of three ferroelectric chiral smectic C* substances is studied in the vicinity of the smectic C*-smectic A* phase transition. For some substances the soft mode dielectric strength exhibits a pronounced anomaly in the C* phase just below the phase transition. We show how this anomaly can be systematically correlated with a corresponding anomaly in the experimentally determined ratio of spontaneous polarization over tilt. By comparing the experimental results with the theoretical predictions of an extended Landau model, we demonstrate how the crossover behaviour of the system can be interpreted as being the consequence of the presence of a biquadratic coupling between tilt and polarization in the Landau free-energy of the system.     

Microtraps and Atom Chips: Toolboxes for Cold Atom Physics

Magnetic microtraps and Atom Chips are safe, small-scale, reliable and flexible tools to prepare ultra-cold and degenerate atom clouds as sources for various atom-optical experiments. We present an overview of the possibilities of the devices and indicate how a microtrap can be used to prepare and launch a Bose-Einstein condensate for use in an atom clock or an interferometer.     

Cationic poly(methacryl oxyethyl trimethylammonium) and its poly(ethylene glycol)‐grafted analogue as capillary coating materials in electrophoresis

Cationic polyelectrolytes were synthesized and used as semipermanent coating materials for capillaries in electrophoresis. The polyelectrolytes used were a homopolymer of poly(methacryl oxyethyl trimethylammonium chloride) (PMOTAC) and its poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)‐grafted analogue. Two PMOTAC polyelectrolytes, with molar masses of 85,000 and 300,000 g/mol, and PEG‐grafted PMOTAC with a molar mass of 280,000 g/mol were synthesized and then characterized by size exclusion chromatography (SEC) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Attachment of the polyelectrolytes to the wall of the fused silica capillary for electrophoresis caused the electroosmotic flow (EOF) to reverse. The polyelectrolyte coatings were tested over the pH range 2–11 at different buffer ionic strengths, and the most stable and strongest anodic EOFs were obtained at acidic pH values with low ionic strength buffers. Between runs the capillary is merely rinsed for 2 or 3 min with the background electrolyte solution. With the PMOTAC coatings at pH values ≤5, the RSDs of the EOFs were less than 2.9% after 60 injections. The effects of the molar mass of the polycation and of PEGylation of PMOTAC on the interactions between the polycations and basic proteins were studied at acidic pH values. The differences in the effective electrophoretic mobilities, resolution values, and plate numbers of the proteins with the different coatings were due to the EOF, as demonstrated through calculations of reduced mobilities, relative resolution values, and relative plate numbers. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 45: 2655–2663, 2007