Combined Dynamic Model for the Kinetics of Electron Transfer from Cytochrome to a Bacteriochlorophill Dimer in Reaction Centers of Rps. Sulfoviridis

The electron transfer from the heme of cytochrome c to the bacteriochlorophill dimer in reaction centers of photosynthetic purple bacteria Rps. sulfoviridis is studied by laser flash photolysis at 40–296 K in conditions where one, two, or three cytochrome hemes are chemically reduced. In the model used for the electron transfer kinetics, the protein relaxation is described with a temperature-independent oscillatory coordinate and a temperature-dependent diffusion coordinate, with the protein dielectric relaxation times widely distributed along the diffusion coordinate. It is found that all the protein complexes can be divided into proteins with fast (k _et = 10⁷ to 10^–4 s^–1) and slow (k _et 100 s^–1) electron transfer. These populations presumably differ by the protonation state of the functional group. The contribution of the oscillatory and diffusion coordinates alters, which severely affects k _et. Parameters V _ab, G, , ₀, and for these reactions are determined.     

Directed evolution of the dioxygenase complex for the synthesis of furanone flavor compounds

Herein we report a new preparation of 4-hydroxy-2,5-dimethyl-2,3-dihydrofuran-3-one, the flavor compound strawberry furanone, based on a ‘green’ approach with a minimum number of steps. The first step is an enzymatic dioxygenation of p-xylene to form cyclohexadiene-cis-diol, followed by ring opening via ozonolysis, and ring closure to form the furanone. In efforts to improve the efficiency of the enzymatic step, a directed evolution approach was taken to increase the substrate specificity and selectivity of the toluene dioxygenase enzyme system.     

Optimization of acid hydrolysis of sugarcane bagasse and investigations on its fermentability for the production of xylitol by Candida guilliermondii

The dilute-acid hydrolysis of sugarcane bagasse was optimized using a statistical experimental design resulting in hydrolysates containing 57.25 g/L of xylose, which were fermented with a high inoculum concentration (10 g/L of the yeast Candida guilliermondii IM/UFRJ 50088). The addition of urea reduced the time of conversion (t _C) to 75 h (without nitrogen source addition t _C>127 h), and, consequently, improving the rates of xylitol bioproduction. Fermentator experiments, using the optimized conditions, resulted in enhanced conversion rates, reducing t _C to 30 h. The stability of the yeast in the hydrolysate was also verified in a 480-h cultivation.     

Antifungal activity of crown ethers

Some crown ethers were found to show significant antifungal activity against some wood-decay fungi, phytopathogenic fungi and eumycetes,Trichophytons for dermatomycosis. Their toxicity was evaluated by the paper disc method as well as by determining the values of ED₅₀, i.e., the concentration which inhibits the mycelium growth by 50%. The fungi examined areTyromyces palustris, Picnoporous coccineus, Coriolous versicolor, Pyricularia filamentosa, Fusarium sp., Trichophyton rubrum, Trichophyton sp., etc. Among the 26 crown ethers tested, 3,5-di-t-butyl-benzo-15-crown-5 showed relatively high activity, the highest ED₅₀ value of which being 8 M or 3 ppm. Other alkylbenzocrown ethers, dicyclohexyl crown ethers and Kryptofix 22DD also showed considerable activity. On the other hand, unsubstituted crown ethers, benzocrown ethers with a polar substituent, Kryptofix 222B and Kryptofix 221 were inactive.     

Fracture mechanisms in rigid core-shell particle modified high performance epoxies

The fracture mechanisms of a high performance epoxy system modified with two types of preformed rigid core-shell particles (RCSP) were investigated. The use of the preformed RCSP anables the control of the dispersion of the toughener phase in the epoxy, which, in turn, allows the mechanical properties of the modified epoxy to be optimized. The toughening effect via the RCSP modification is found to be as good as that via the core-shell rubber modification. The moduli andT _g of these RCSP-modified epoxies are virtually unaltered via the RCSP modification, when compared with the neat epoxy resin equivalent. The toughening mechanisms in these toughened systems appear to be predominantly crack deflection, crack bifurcation, and microcracking. Approaches for effective toughening of high performance polymers via rigid polymers are discussed.     

Direct detection of renal function markers using microchip CE with pulsed electrochemical detection

Creatinine, creatine, and uric acid are three important compounds that are measured in a variety of clinical assays, most notably for renal function. Traditional clinical assays for these compounds have focused on the use of enzymes or chemical reactions. Electrophoretic microchips have the potential to integrate separation power of capillary electrophoresis with devices that are small, portable, and have the speed of conventional sensors. The development of a microchip CE system for the direct detection of creatinine, creatine, and uric acid is presented. The device uses pulsed amperometric detection (PAD) to detect the nitrogen-containing compounds as well as the easily oxidizable uric acid. Baseline separation of creatinine, creatine and uric acid was achieved using 30 mM borate buffer (pH = 9.4) in less than 200 s. Linear calibration curves were obtained with limits of detection of 80 microM, 250 microM and 270 microM for creatinine, creatine and uric acid respectively. An optimization of the separation conditions and a comparison of PAD with other amperometric detection modes is also shown. Finally, analysis of a real urine sample is presented with validation of creatinine concentrations using a clinical assay kit based on the Jaffé reaction.     

AlPO4?ZrO2 catalysts, II. Synthesis, textural properties and crystal structure of systems obtained in ethylene oxide

The effects of surface dehydration on textural properties, crystallinity and the structure of AlPO₄–ZrO₂ (weight ratio AlPO₄/ZrO₂=3) systems precipitated with ethylene oxide have been studied by N₂ adsorption and XRD measurements. The increase in calcination temperature in the range 773–1273 K decreases the textural parameters as a consequence of AlPO₄ crystallization to the tridymite form.

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, AlPO₄–ZrO₂ ( AlPO₄/ZrO₂=3), , N₂ - . 773 1273 , AlPO₄ .

     

Use of dynamically coated capillaries with added cyclodextrins for the analysis of opium using capillary electrophoresis

A rapid, precise, accurate, and robust method using capillary electrophoresis (CE) with dynamically coated capillaries for the analysis of the major opium alkaloids in opium is presented. Dynamic coating of the capillary surface is accomplished using a commercially available reagent kit (polycation coating followed by polyanion coating). The addition of dual cyclodextrins (hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin and dimethyl-beta-cyclodextrin) to the run buffer imparts excellent selectivity for the opium alkaloids. For the determination of morphine, papaverine, codeine, noscapine and thebaine in opium gum and opium latex samples (using tetracaine as an internal standard) good agreement with values obtained by gradient high-performance liquid chromatography is obtained. Compared to the latter technique, CE affords better resolution with significantly faster analysis time (12 min versus 29 min). Dynamically coated capillaries, which give rise to a relatively high and robust electroosmotic flow (EOF) at the background electrolyte pH of 2.5, allow for rapid analysis and excellent migration time and peak area precision (RSDs < or = 0.12% and < or = 1.2%, respectively). Reproducible separations (relative migration times) for over 500 samples have been obtained on a single capillary. The nature of the injection solvent, the injection time and the contents of the waste vials have a profound effect on the pressure injection precision of the relatively hydrophobic solutes. The CE conditions reported in this study are also applicable to the analysis of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) exhibits.     

Simultaneous determination of iron, cobalt, nickel and copper by UV-visible spectrophotometry with multivariate calibration

A method for the simultaneous spectrophotometric determination of the divalent ions of iron, cobalt, nickel and copper based on the formation of their complexes with 1,5-bis(di-2-pyridylmethylene) thiocarbonohydrazide (DPTH) is proposed. The resolution of quaternary mixtures of these metallic ions was accomplished by several chemometric approaches. A comparative study of the results obtained for simultaneous determinations in mixture by using principal component regression (PCR) and partial least-squares regression (PLS-1 and PLS-2) for absorbance, first-derivative and second-derivative data is presented. In general, the best recovery values are obtained by the PLS-2 method for absorbance data. This procedure allows the simultaneous determination of the cited ions in alloys and biological materials Good reliability of the determination was proved.     

Selection of the cis and trans phosph(III)azane macrocycles [{P(mu-NtBu)}2(1-Y-2-NH-C6H4)]2(Y=O, S)

The 1 : 1 reactions of [ClP(mu-NtBu)]2 with the difunctional aromatic amines 1,2-1-YH-2-NH2-C6H4 in the presence of Et3N give the dimeric phosph(III)azane macrocycles [{P(mu-NtBu)2(1-Y-2-HN-C6H4)]2, predominantly as the cis isomer in the case of Y=O (1.cis) and as the trans isomer for Y=S (2.trans). Model M.O. calculations suggest that the selection of the cis and trans isomers is not thermodynamically controlled. The alternative isomers 1.trans and 2.cis are generated exclusively by the deprotonation of the model intermediates [(1-Y-2-NH2-C6H4)P(mu-NtBu)]2[Y=O (3), S (4)] with nBuLi followed by cyclisation with [ClP(mu-NtBu)]2. The solid-state structures of 1.cis/trans(50 : 50), 2.cis, 3 and 4 are reported.