Feasibility of the solar-pumped fullerene-oxygen-iodine laser (Sun-light FOIL)

The feasibility of the optically pumped (in particular, solar-pumped) fullerene-oxygen-iodine laser (FOIL) is considered. The singlet oxygen is assumed to be formed through the interaction of molecular oxygen with a mixture of (both lower and higher) fullerenes in a photogenerated triplet metastable state. The estimates based on a photokinetic model show that the solar-pumped FOIL efficiency can reach several tens of percent. The singlet-oxygen yield resulting from the interaction of optical pumping radiation with fullerenes in solutions is studied both theoretically and experimentally. As the optical pumping, we used laser radiation at 532 nm and broad-band emission of a lamp with a solarlike spectrum.     

A nonlocal smooth model potential of elementary metals: Computation of the form factor

In terms of the full nonlocal theory, an expression for the form factor of a smooth nonlocal model potential in an elementary metal is computed.     

Charged-particle decay and suppression of primordial power on small scales

We study the suppression of the small-scale power spectrum due to the decay of charged matter to dark matter prior to recombination. Prior to decay, the charged particles couple to the photon-baryon fluid and participate in its acoustic oscillations. However, after these charged particles decay to neutral dark matter, the photon-baryon fluid is coupled only gravitationally to the newly created dark matter. This generically leads to suppression of power on length scales that enter the horizon prior to decay. For decay times of approximately 3.5 yr this leads to suppression of power on subgalactic scales, bringing the observed number of galactic substructures in line with observation. Decay times of a few years are possible if the dark matter is purely gravitationally interacting, such as the gravitino in supersymmetric models or a massive Kaluza-Klein graviton in models with universal extra dimensions.     

The pentapeptide GGAGG has PII conformation

Most of what we know about proteins reflects their native folded structure. Much less is understood about the structure of unfolded proteins, which tends to be referred to as "random coil", lacking extended alpha-helix or beta-strand structure. Recent work suggests that unfolded proteins might adopt significant population of PII structure, an extended left-handed helix found in collagen and proline-rich peptides. A series of short peptides AcGGXGGNH2 has been adopted as a model for studying unfolded protein structure because of the minimal steric effect imposed by flanking glycines. Peptide AcGGAGGNH2 makes possible a host-guest conformation analysis of the middle residue alanine. NMR experiments reveal that the Phi and Psi dihedral angles of the central alanine are -73 degrees and 125 degrees , respectively, placing the alanine in the PII region of the Ramachandran plot. Circular dichroism shows a typical PII spectrum with a strong negative absorbance at 190 nm. Temperature experiments show the alanine structure shifts to increasing beta-strand at high temperature. Because the alanine side chain most closely represents unsubstituted peptide backbone, these results have significant implications for the conformational entropy of unfolded polypeptide chains.     

Paperless journals: An experiment

The 'electronic journal' is currently the focus of a great deal of interest in both the scientific and publishing worlds. Neville Moray writes here of his own experiences with an experimental electronic journal, experiences which would indicate that the printed word will remain with us for some time yet.     

Characterization of di- and trimethoxybenzaldehydes by analysis of deshielding gradients obtained with Eu(fod)3 shift reagent

Eu(fod)₃ shift reagent was used to simplify PMR spectra from isomeric mono-, di and trimethoxybenzaldehydes. Deshielding gradients, obtained by plotting induced shift vs. molar ratio of [Eu(fod)₃]/[substrate] made it possible to assign methoxyl proton signals to the correct positional substituent in polymethoxylated benzaldehydes. Anomalous upfield shifts for the aldehydic protons of 2,6-dimethoxy- and 2,4,6-trimethoxybenzaldehyde were observed with Eu(fod)₃ Various instances of long-range (⁵J) proton coupling between the aldehydic proton and a meta-proton provide insight to the geometry of the substrate in the complexed state with Eu(fod)₃. Di- and trimethoxybenzaldehydes are important precursors for the synthesis of the correspondingly methoxylated amphetamines which are of pharmacological and forensic interest because of abuse and illicit manufacture.     

Addition of sulphenic acids to unactivated alkynes to give alkenyl sulphoxides

Sulphenic acids, conveniently generated by thermolysis of readily available β-cyanosulphoxides, added regiospecifically in good yield to 1-alkynes to provide syntheticall useful alkenyl sulphoxides.     

A novel microstep device for the size separation of cells

We report on a series of preliminary experiments investigating the applicability of a novel method for the size separation of nano- and microsized particles and cells. The working principle is based on the application of a shear-driven flow through stepwise tapered micro- or nanochannels. Size separations of mixtures of 0.5 and 1.0 microm carboxylated polystyrene beads as well as of binary mixtures of Staphylococcus aureus and Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells and of S. cerevisiae and Escherichia coli cells are demonstrated.