Planar laser-induced fluorescence imaging in shock tube flows

The planar laser-induced fluorescence (PLIF) imaging method was used to perform flow visualization and quantitative planar thermometry in shock tube flow fields using toluene as a fluorescence tracer in nitrogen. Fluorescence quantum yield values needed to quantify PLIF images were measured in a static cell at low pressures (<1 bar) for various toluene partial pressures in nitrogen bath gas. Images behind incident and reflected shocks were taken in the core flow away from regions affected by boundary layers. Temperature measurements from these images were successfully compared with predicted values using ideal shock equations. Measured temperatures ranged between 296 and 800 K and pressures between 0.15 and 1.5 atm. The average temperature discrepancies between measurements and the predicted values behind the incident and reflected shocks were 1.6 and 3.6%, respectively. Statistical analyses were also conducted to calculate the temperature measurement uncertainty as a function of image resolution. The technique was also applied to the study of more complex supersonic flows, specifically the interaction of a moving shock with a wedge. Measured temperatures agreed well with the results of numerical simulations in all inviscid regions, and all pertinent features of the single Mach reflection were resolved.     

Measurement of the rate coefficient of the reaction CH+O2 → products in the temperature range 2200 to 2600 K

The rate coefficient of the reaction CH+O₂ → products was determined by measuring CH-radical concentration profiles in shock-heated 100–150 ppm ethane/1000 ppm O₂ mixtures in Ar using cw, narrow-linewidth laser absorption at 431.131 nm. Comparing the measured CH concentration profiles to ones calculated using a detailed kinetics model, yielded the following average value for the rate coefficient independent of temperature over the range 2200–2600 K: The experimental conditions were chosen such that the calculated profiles were sensitive mainly to the reactions CH+O₂ → products and CH₃+M → CH+H₂+M. For the methyl decomposition reaction channel, the following rate-coefficient expression provided the best fit of the measured CH profiles: Additionally, the rate coefficient of the reaction CH₂+H→CH+ H₂ was determined indirectly in the same system: © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Pressure-induced hydration at 0.6 GPa in a synthetic gallosilicate zeolite

The onset of pressure-induced hydration and volume expansion is lowered to 0.6 GPa via the increased flexibility of the host lattice using isomorphous substitution of Al by larger Ga in a sodium aluminosilicate natrolite.     

RAMPED-UP NMR: multiplexed NMR-based screening for drug discovery

The crucial step in drug discovery is the identification of a lead compound from a vast chemical library by any number of screening techniques. NMR-based screening has the advantage of directly detecting binding of a compound to the target. The spectra resulting from these screens can also be very complex and difficult to analyze, making this an inefficient process. We present here a method, RAMPED-UP NMR, (Rapid Analysis and Multiplexing of Experimentally Discriminated Uniquely Labeled Proteins using NMR) which generates simple spectra which are easy to interpret and allows several proteins to be screened simultaneously. In this method, the proteins to be screened are uniquely labeled with one amino acid type. There are several benefits derived from this unique labeling strategy: the spectra are greatly simplified, resonances that are most likely to be affected by binding are the only ones observed, and peaks that yield little or no information upon binding are eliminated, allowing the analysis of multiple proteins easily and simultaneously. We demonstrate the ability of three different proteins to be analyzed simultaneously for binding to two different ligands. This method will have significant impact in the use of NMR spectroscopy for both the lead generation and lead optimization phases of drug discovery by its ability to increase screening throughput and the ability to examine selectivity. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time in any format that multiple proteins can be screened in one tube.     

Proton uptake of rhodobacter capsulatus reaction center mutants modified in the primary quinone environment

Flash-induced absorbance spectroscopy was used to analyze the proton uptake and electron transfer properties of photosynthetic reaction centers (RC) of Rhodobacter capsulatus that have been genetically modified near the primary quinone electron acceptor (Q(A)). M246Ala and M247Ala, which are symmetry-related to the positions of two acidic groups, L212Glu and L213Asp, in the secondary quinone electron acceptor (QB) protein environment, have been mutated to Glu and Asp, respectively. The pH dependence of the stoichiometry of proton uptake upon formation of the P+Q(A)- (H+/P+Q(A)-) and PQ(A) (H+/Q(A)-) (P is the primary electron donor, a noncovalently linked bacteriochlorophyll dimer) states have been measured in the M246Ala --> Glu and the M247Ala --> Asp mutant RC, in the M246Ala-M247Ala --> Glu-Asp double mutant and in the wild type (WT). Our results show that the introduction of an acidic group (Glu or Asp) in the QA protein region induces notable additional proton uptake over a large pH region (approximately 6-9), which reflects a delocalized response of the protein to the formation of Q(A)-. This may indicate the existence of a widely spread proton reservoir in the cytoplasmic region of the protein. Interestingly, the pH titration curves of the proton release caused by the formation of P+ (H+/P+: difference between H+/P+Q(A)- and H+/PQ(A)- curves) are nearly superimposable in the WT and the M246Ala --> Glu mutant RC, but substantial additional proton release is detected between pH 7 and 9 in the M247Ala --> Asp mutant RC. This effect can be accounted for by an increased proton release by the P+ environment in the M247Ala --> Asp mutant. The M247Ala --> Asp mutation reveals the existence of an energetic and conformational coupling between donor and acceptor sides of the RC at a distance of nearly 30A.     

Simultaneous isolation and label‐free identification of bacteria using contactless dielectrophoresis and Raman spectroscopy

The traditional bacterial identification method of growing colonies on agar plates can take several days to weeks to complete depending on the growth rate of the bacteria. Successfully decreasing this analysis time requires cell isolation followed by identification. One way to decrease analysis time is by combining dielectrophoresis (DEP), a common technique used for cell sorting and isolation, and Raman spectroscopy for cell identification. DEP‐Raman devices have been used for bacterial analysis, however, these devices have a number of drawbacks including sample heating, cell‐to‐electrode proximity that limits throughput and separation efficiency, electrode fouling, or inability to address sample debris. Presented here is a contactless DEP‐Raman device to simultaneously isolate and identify particles from a mixed sample while avoiding common drawbacks associated with other DEP designs. Using the device, a mixed sample of bacteria and 3 μm polystyrene spheres were isolated from each other and a Raman spectrum of the trapped bacteria was acquired, indicating the potential for cDEP‐Raman devices to decrease the analysis time of bacteria.     

Diterpenoids

The review covers the isolation and chemistry of diterpenoids including labdanes, clerodanes, pimaranes, abietanes, kauranes, gibberellins, cembranolides, taxanes and marine diterpenoids. The literature from January to December 2000 is reviewed and 157 references are cited.     

A shock tube study of the OH + OH → H2O + O reaction

The rate coefficient for the reaction has been determined in mixtures of nitric acid (HNO₃) and argon in incident shock wave experiments. Quantitative OH time-histories were obtained by cw narrow-linewidth uv laser absorption of the R₁(5) line of the A² σ⁺ ← X² Π_i (0,0) transition at 32606.56 cm^?1 (vacuum). The experiments were conducted over the temperature range 1050–2380 K and the pressure range 0.18–0.60 atm. The second-order rate coefficient was determined to be with overall uncertainties of +11%, ?16% at high temperatures and +25%, ?22% at low temperatures. By incorporating data from previous investigations in the temperature range 298–578 K, the following expression is determined for the temperature range 298–2380 K © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

In situ time-resolved characterization of Au-CeO2 and AuOx-CeO2 catalysts during the water-gas shift reaction: presence of Au and O vacancies in the active phase

Synchrotron-based in situ time-resolved x-ray diffraction and x-ray absorption spectroscopies were used to study the behavior of nanostructured {Au+AuO(x)}-CeO(2) catalysts under the water-gas shift (WGS) reaction. At temperatures above 250 degrees C, a complete AuO(x)-->Au transformation was observed with high catalytic activity. Photoemission results for the oxidation and reduction of Au nanoparticles supported on rough ceria films or a CeO(2)(111) single crystal corroborate that cationic Au(delta+) species cannot be the key sites responsible for the WGS activity at high temperatures. The rate determining steps for the WGS seem to occur at the gold-ceria interface, with the active sites involving small gold clusters (<2 nm) and O vacancies.     

Ring-Closing Metathesis Strategies to P -heterocycles

A general approach to the synthesis of P -heterocycles using the ring-closing metathesis reaction is described. We have developed a new method utilizing phosphorus nuclei as suitable temporary tethers for the coupling of non-racemic allylic amines. This approach allows for the generation of symmetric and unsymmetric 1,4-diamines. Subsequent coupling of these 1,4-diamines with various nuclei produces an array of 7-membered heterocycles.