Substrate binding to vanadate-dependent bromoperoxidase from Ascophyllum nodosum: a vanadium K-edge XAS approach

The EXAFS region of vanadium K-edge XAS spectra of native vanadate-dependent bromoperoxidase (isoenzyme I) from Ascophyllum nodosum in the presence of the substrate bromide can be fitted to three shells (at 1.62, 1.73-1.78 and 1.99-2.07 A) in the first coordination sphere of vanadium plus two more distant shells at 4.1A, possibly corresponding to bromide, and 4.7 A due to light scatterers stemming from the protein pocket. Bromide does not directly bind to the vanadium centre. The XANES and the EXAFS features for the enzyme are essentially reproduced by model complexes of the general composition [VO(H(2)O)(n)(ONO)] (n= 1 or 2) where ONO is the dianion of a Schiff base from bromosalicylaldehydes (Brsal; with the Br substituent in the position 3, 4, 5 or 6) and amino acids. The 3-Brsal derivatives exhibit an outer sphere shell at 3.8 A, which is traced back to intermolecular contacts. The data obtained from EXAFS are compared to those obtained from single crystal X-ray diffraction of [VO(H(2)O)(2)(4-Brsal-gly)] and [VO(H(2)O)(2)(6-Brsal-gly)] (gly = glycinate). In the complex [VOBr(2)(ONO)']] ((ONO)' is the Schiff base from o-anisole and o-hydroxyaniline), the V-Br distance is 2.44 A.     

Prototype reflectivity analyses of hydrogen storage levels in single-walled carbon nanotubes

A prototype case study is presented that examines the level of hydrogen content in H-SWNTs using the Surface Plasmon Resonance technique. The damping effect and the angular shift in the resonance minimum of an SWNT-gold interface due to the presence of hydrogen is analyzed using a parametric model, which is based on the concept of an effective permittivity. The new approach provides for a non-invasive analysis of the level of hydrogen content in H-SWNTs and is potentially extendable to other carbon-based hydrogen storage materials.     

Rearrangements of transient neutral molecules in the gas phase. Does the conversion of CCCHO to HCCCO involve oxygen or hydrogen migration?

Stable (CC13CHO)- may be formed in the chemical ionisation ion source of a VG ZAB 2HF mass spectrometer by the SN2(Si) reaction between Me3SiC[triple bond]C13CHO and F-. Vertical (Franck-Condon) one-electron oxidation of (CC13CHO)- in the first of the tandem collision cells of a VG ZAB 2HF mass spectrometer gives CC13CHO. Some of these neutrals have sufficient excess energy to effect rearrangement to HCC13CO, some of which are energised and to decompose to HCC. and 13CO. Thus the neutral rearrangement exclusively involves H migration: no products from O migration are detected. The corresponding two-electron oxidation of (CC13CHO)- gives mainly unrearranged (CC13CHO)+. A minority of these cations are energised and rearrange by H and O migration to yield (HCC13CHO)+ and (OCC13CHO)+ respectively. All experimental observations are backed up by molecular modelling at the CCSD(T)/aug-cc-pVDZ//B3LYP/6-31G(d) level of theory.     

Studies on pyridazine azide cyclisation reactions

Reaction of sodium azide with 4-methyl-3,5,6-tribromopyridazine results in the formation of 3,5,6-triazide intermediate which could cyclise to give two possible bicyclic products while ab initio calculations show that the formation of a tricyclic compound is extremely energetically unfavourable. However, experimentally, only one major product is isolated. The structure of this unstable product has been conclusively established by X-ray crystallography as 3,5-diazido-4-methyl[1,5-b]tetrazolopyridazine confirming theoretical predictions.     

Anechoic chamber qualification: traverse method,inverse square law analysis method,and nature of test signal

Qualification of anechoic chambers is intended to demonstrate that the chamber supports the intended free-field environment within some permissible tolerance bounds. Key qualification issues include the method used to obtain traverse data, the analysis method for the data, and the use of pure tone or broadband noise as the chamber excitation signal. This paper evaluates the relative merits of continuous versus discrete traverses, of fixed versus optimal reference analysis of the traverse data, and of the use of pure tone versus broadband signals. The current practice of using widely space discrete sampling along a traverse is shown to inadequately sample the complexity of the sound field extant with pure tone traverses, but is suitable for broadband traverses. Continuous traverses, with spatial resolution on the order of 15% of the wavelength at the frequency of interest, are shown to be necessary to fully resolve the spatial complexity of pure tone qualifications. The use of an optimal reference method for computing the deviations from inverse square law is shown to significantly improve the apparent performance of the chamber for pure tone qualifications. Finally, the use of broadband noise as the test signal, as compared to pure tone traverses over the same span, is demonstrated to be a marginal indicator of chamber performance.     

The importance of cochlear processing for the formation of auditory brainstem and frequency following responses

A model for the generation of auditory brainstem responses (ABR) and frequency following responses (FFRs) is presented. The model is based on the concept introduced by Goldstein and Kiang [J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 30, 107-114 (1958)] that evoked potentials recorded at remote electrodes can theoretically be given by convolution of an elementary unit waveform (unitary response) with the instantaneous discharge rate function for the corresponding unit. In the present study, the nonlinear computational auditory-nerve model recently developed by Heinz et al. [ARLO 2(3), 91-96 (2001)] was used to calculate the instantaneous discharge rate ri(t) for fibers i in the frequency range from 0.1 and 10 kHz. The summed activity across frequency was convolved with a unitary response which is assumed to reflect contributions from different cell populations within the auditory brainstem, recorded at a given pair of electrodes on the scalp. Predicted potential patterns are compared with experimental data for a number of stimulus and level conditions. Clicks, chirps as defined in Dau et al. [J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 107, 1530-1540 (2000)], long-duration stimuli comprising the chirp, as well as tones and slowly varying tonal sweeps were considered. The results demonstrate the importance of considering the effects of the basilar-membrane traveling wave and auditory-nerve processing for the formation of ABR and FFR. Specifically, the results support the hypothesis that the FFR to low-frequency tones represents synchronized activity mainly stemming from mid- and high-frequency units at more basal sites, and not from units tuned to frequencies around the signal frequency.     

Determination of unreacted 2,4-toluene diisocyanate (2,4TDI) and 2,6-toluene diisocyanate (2,6TDI) in foams at ultratrace level by using HPLC-CIS-MS-MS

Isocyanates can cause occupational asthma. By using available HPLC-UVF methods, isocyanates can be quantified only at levels above 1% of the Permissible Exposure Limits (PEL). Once sensitized, workers can react to concentrations below these limits of detection (LOD) making these methods insufficiently sensitive to adequately evaluate trace amounts of isocyanates present in air or in materials at safe levels for sensitized workers. This article describes a novel method for isocyanate analysis allowing the quantification of 2,4TDI and 2,6TDI monomers at very low concentrations using HPLC-CIS-MS-MS. The method's sensitivity increases with a decrease in the alkali radius. The LOD is 0.039 ng mL(-1) for 2,4TDI and 0.100 ng mL(-1) for 2,6TDI in solution when lithium is the alkali adduct, which is 20 times more sensitive than HPLC-UVF method. This new method allows determination in foam at levels of 0.078 ng g(-1) for 2,4TDI and 0.200 ng g(-1) for 2,6TDI respectively, for a 0.5 g foam sample. This is more than 100 times more sensitive than other methods for determining free monomers in solid materials. Analytical reproducibility and precision are better than 92% and 93% for both diisocyanate monomers. The use of HPLC-UVF conventional method failed to detect unreacted isocyanates in foam samples, but TDI monomers were quantified by HPLC-CIS-MS-MS.