Shapes and noncovalent interactions of oligomers: the rotational spectrum of the difluoromethane trimer

The trimer of difluoromethane, (CH2F2)3, has been characterized by supersonic jet Fourier transform microwave spectroscopy. The rotational spectrum displays all types (mu(a), mu(b), and mu(c)) of transitions, showing that the adduct does not possess any element of molecular symmetry. The investigation of the three 13C species in natural abundance indicates that the three carbon atoms form a triangle where the C-C distances are 3.648(2), 3.825(8), and 3.942(6) A, respectively. The three subunits are held together by nine CH...F weak hydrogen bonds.     

Hole tunneling and hopping in a Ru(bpy)3(2+)-phenothiazine dyad with a bridge derived from oligo-p-phenylene

A molecular dyad was synthesized in which a Ru(bpy)(3)(2+) (bpy = 2,2'-bipyridine) photosensitizer and a phenothiazine redox partner are bridged by a sequence of tetramethoxybenzene, p-dimethoxybenzene, and p-xylene units. Hole transfer from the oxidized metal complex to the phenothiazine was triggered using a flash-quench technique and investigated by transient absorption spectroscopy. Optical spectroscopic and electrochemical experiments performed on a suitable reference molecule in addition to the above-mentioned dyad lead to the conclusion that hole transfer from Ru(bpy)(3)(3+) to phenothiazine proceeds through a sequence of hopping and tunneling steps: Initial hole hopping from Ru(bpy)(3)(3+) to the easily oxidizable tetramethoxybenzene unit is followed by tunneling through the barrier imposed by the p-dimethoxybenzene and p-xylene spacers. The overall charge transfer proceeds with a time constant of 41 ns, which compares favorably to a time constant of 1835 ns associated with equidistant hole tunneling between the same donor-acceptor couple bridged by three identical p-xylene units. The combined hopping/tunneling sequence thus leads to an acceleration of hole transfer by roughly a factor of 50 when compared to a pure tunneling mechanism.     

Studies on drug metabolism by fungi colonizing decomposing human cadavers. Part I: DNA sequence-based identification of fungi isolated from postmortem material

Cadavers can be colonized by a wide variety of bacteria and fungi. Some of these microbes could change the concentration or the metabolic pattern of drugs present in postmortem samples. The purpose of this study was to identify fungi from human postmortem material and to further assess their potential role in the metabolism of drugs. Aliquots of 252 postmortem samples (heart blood, liver, kidney, and lung) taken from 105 moderately to severely decomposed bodies were streaked on Sabouraud agar for isolation of fungal species. One part of the samples was worked up immediately after autopsy (group I). The second part had previously been stored at ?20 °C for at least 1 year (group II). Identification of the isolates was achieved morphologically by microscopy and molecularly by polymerase chain reaction amplification and sequencing of markers allowing species identification of the respective genera. Depending on the genus, different gene fragments were used: calmodulin for Aspergillus, β-tubulin for Penicillium, translation elongation factor 1α for Fusarium, and the internal transcribed spacer region of the ribosomal DNA for all remaining genera. A total of 156 fungal strains were isolated from 62 % of the postmortem materials. By using these primers, 98 % of the isolates could be identified to the species level. The most common genera were Candida (60.0 %—six species), Penicillium (10.3 %—two species), Rhodotorula (7.1 %—one species), Mucor (6.4 %—four species), Aspergillus (3.2 %—four species), Trichosporon (3.2 %—one species), and Geotrichum (3.2 %—one species). Group I samples contained 53 % more fungal species than stored samples suggesting some fungi did not survive the freezing process. The isolated fungi might be characteristic for decomposed bodies. The proposed methodology proved to be appropriate for the identification of fungi in this type of material.     

Dielektrische Messungen an bituminösen Stoffen,III

Zusammenfassung Für die in vorstehendem Abschnitt beschriebenen großtechnisch hergestellten Steinkohlenteerpeche läßt sich die Brauchbarkeit dielektrischer Untersuchungen dahin formulieren, daß die Bestimmung des Absolutwertes der Dielektrizitätskonstante der Mischungskomponenten und die Lagebestimmung des Gebietes anomaler Dispersion Voraussagen über den Lösungs- bzw. Quellungszustand der erhaltenen Weichpeche und über ihr Verhalten bei mechanischer Deformation ermöglicht. Die bei den Teersonderpechen festgestellte Verschiebung des Dispersionsgebietes nach tiefen Temperaturen eröffnet aber auch Ausblicke auf weitere Auswertungsmöglichkeiten dielektrischer Messungen bei der Erforschung der für die Verarbeitung und den Bestand bituminöser Schutzfilme gleichwichtigen Benetzungs-, Verdrängungs- und Adhäsionserscheinungen. Es ist bekannt, wie sehr z. B. die Benetzung von Grenzflächen nicht nur durch die chemische Zusammensetzung, sondern vor allem durch die Konfiguration der Moleküle der benetzenden Flüssigkeit und damit ihre Ladungsverteilung gelenkt wird. Es erscheint deshalb wahrscheinlich, daß eine bei Einwirkung eines elektrischen Wechselfeldes erkennbare stärkere Molekülbeweglichkeit auch bei tieferen Temperaturen, wie sie sich aus der Lage des Dispersionsgebietes ergibt, sich auch bei Situationen und Vorgängen günstig bemerkbar machen muß, die mit der für die Wirksamkeit eines Schutzfilms so wesentlichen Eigenschaft der Adhäsion zusammenhängen.Die Durchrechnungsbeziehungen zwischen Dielektrizitätskonstante und absoluter Viskosität ergab bei allen untersuchten Steinkohlenteeren und-pechen bei niedrigen und mittleren Viskositäten einen einfachen quantitativen Zusammenhang.     

Kinetik und mechanismus der elektrochemischen reduktion von 2,2′-dipyridyl I. Primärprozesse: Vorgelagerte isomerisierung eines komplexes

Polarography and chronopotentiometry are used to study the primary processes of the reduction of 2,2′-bipyridine at mercury electrodes in aqueous solutions (12 < pH < 14). Bipyridine and its first reduction product are strongly adsorbed. The reduction is preceded by a complex equilibrium between bipyridine and the cation of the supporting electrolyte (Li, Na, K, Ba). Due to the great excess of the cations, the equilibrium is shifted completely to the side of the complex, which exists as cis- and trans-isomer. The cis-form is more stable, forming a chelate, the trans-form however is more easily reducible. The kinetic and thermodynamic data of the isomerization are determined. The first reduction product reacts irreversibly giving a substance which can be reoxidized to bipyridine via a radical intermediate.     

Towards an efficient atomic frequency comb quantum memory

We present an efficient photon-echo experiment based on atomic frequency combs [Phys. Rev. A 79 (2009) 052329]. Echoes containing an energy of up to 35% of that of the input pulse are observed in a Pr³⁺-doped Y₂SiO₅ crystal. This material allows for the precise spectral holeburning needed to make a sharp and highly absorbing comb structure. We compare our results with a simple theoretical model with satisfactory agreement. Our results show that atomic frequency combs has the potential for high-efficiency storage of single photons as required in future long-distance communication based on quantum repeaters.     

Synchronous, dual-wavelength, injection-seeded amplification of 5-ns pulses in a flash-lamp-pumped Ti:sapphire laser

The outputs of two cw diode lasers are coupled into a flash-lamp-pumped Ti:sapphire laser cavity for regenerative amplification. Slices of each seed beam are simultaneously trapped in the cavity and amplified for approximately 33 round trips. The output is a 4.7-ns pulse, the total pulse energy is 110 mJ, and linewidths are only 50% greater than the Fourier-transform limit. The timing jitter between the pulses at the two wavelengths is less than +/-75 ps , and their relative energy is controlled by adjustment of the seed power of the cw diode lasers. Gain competition between the two frequencies does not lead to instabilities.